The Accidental Cookbook Author

How-to: Bruce Aidells’ new tome is the meatiest yet.

By Michaela Jarvis

Published: September 21, 2012

Luca Trovato

Growing up, Bruce Aidells was not the kind of kid you’d figure would write a cookbook about meat. His mom, “wanting a life,” as he says, opted for convenience cooking, which involved “using canned soup as your major flavor ingredient.” On Sundays, when his family ate out at inexpensive ethnic restaurants in the Los Angeles area, Aidells wasn’t all-meat-all-the-time, and he often ordered seafood. As for writing? Hated it. Aidells’ education was in the sciences, and had he told his parents he was going to have a career in food, he says, “They would have cut me off.”

Still, Aidells’ parents had committed what he refers to as “a fatal error” in taking him to all those ethnic restaurants around L.A., starting him on a lifelong adventure with food that has included helping transform sausage in this country from a breakfast side to a national fixation, becoming the country’s foremost authority on meat, and publishing 11 cookbooks. His latest, The Great Meat Cookbook (on sale starting October 2), is everything you ever wanted to know about Aidells’ favorite topic as well as a nonstop parade of gorgeous big-boy meat recipes.

When it comes to recipes, Aidells is the real deal. He’s in the kitchen virtually every day, and his home in Healdsburg (his primary residence is in the Berkeley hills) may possess the only privately owned mega-showplace cooking space that actually gets used. More than half of the recipes in his new book are original, and he credits friends, family (including his wife, award-winning restaurateur Nancy Oakes), and ethnic classics as the inspiration on others.

His new book not only has recipes for blockbusters such as standing rib roast with porcini-spinach stuffing, toasted peppercorn and whiskey sauce, and horseradish cream, it also offers lessons in making lard from pork fat and making your own bacon.

His love is genuine: “Meat is just so satisfying. There are so many things to do with it, so many ways to cook it.” Still, he seems a little defensive when asked when meat became his favorite food group.

Are there times when life gets too meaty for him? Like, does he ever wake up in the morning thinking, I’m going to make me a big pot of vegetarian chili?

“Vegetarian chili is not high on my list,” he admits, “but maybe vegetarian Indian food …”

Aidells says he fully recognizes that having a plant-based diet is better for the planet, pointing out that many people who eat meat these days pay careful attention to how the meat was raised, an issue that permeates his new book. In fact, Aidells adds, the book revisits the topic of his 1998 comprehensive look at meat, The Complete Meat Cookbook, because information about environmental friendliness, humane treatment of animals, and the health of meat eaters has expanded exponentially.

“Pork chops are still pork chops,” Aidells says, “but a lot of the questions people are now asking didn’t exist when I was writing the previous book.”

Meanwhile, Aidells says he prefers meat that has been raised according to the new rules of ethical meat eating. “It tends to taste better, and frankly I’m interested in putting the best stuff on my plate.”

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A Recipe for Every Cut

The Great Meat Cookbook provides recipes for all kinds of meat cuts for three reasons. It helps sustainable ranchers, who pay a premium to bring their animals to market and need to sell every part. Also, underutilized cuts are cheaper. And many of these cuts are downright delicious. Here’s a list of lesser-used cuts, with a few tips provided by Aidells.

Grill-braised Vietnamese short ribs with sweet vinegar glaze

Serves 6

Five-spice powder, a Chinese flavoring, is also popular in Vietnamese cooking. One of the spices that gives five-spice powder its characteristic licorice flavor is star anise, which is also used whole in this braise.

*Alternative cuts: boneless or English short ribs, any chuck roast or brisket cut into 3-inch chunks, beef shanks, or oxtails (up cooking time by hour or more).

Directions
1) Five-spice rub: Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle generously over all surfaces of the ribs. For the most flavor, place the ribs on a platter, wrap in plastic wrap, and let rest for at least 2 hours at room temperature, or refrigerate overnight.
2) Heat a gas grill to medium-high. Place the ribs over the heat, and sear for 1 to 2 minutes per side, turning until all sides are nicely browned, turning if they begin to char. Set aside to cool while you begin preparing the braise. Once cool enough to handle, tie the ribs to the bone with a couple of loops of butcher’s twine.
3) Place a 6- to 8-quart Dutch oven directly over medium heat, and when hot, add the oil. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ginger, and fry and stir for 1 minute more. Pour in the stock, fish sauce, ¼ cup of the rice vinegar, the soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar, and the star anise. Bring to a boil, and lay in the short ribs. Set up the grill for indirect cooking (if your grill has a thermometer, it should read about 350˚ F), and place the pot so it’s not over direct heat. Cover, then close the grill lid, and cook for 30 minutes. If all the ribs are not submerged in the simmering liquid, move them around so the uncovered ones spend time in the liquid. Adjust the heat to maintain a slow simmer, and cover. Check again 30 minutes later, and move ribs around if necessary. After another 30 minutes, check the ribs for tenderness. You should just be able to pierce them with a fork, but they should not be falling apart. If they are not tender enough, cook longer, covered, checking every 15 minutes (mine take 1½ hours, but yours may vary). Remove the ribs and set aside.
4) Skim the fat from the liquid, and taste the sauce; it should have a nice rich flavor. If too watery, return to direct heat and reduce until it becomes flavorful and suits your taste. Set aside. Refrigerate overnight, or proceed with the recipe.
5) To make the sweet vinegar glaze, pour 1 cup of the braising liquid into a small saucepan and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons rice vinegar. Place over high heat or, if your grill has a side burner, use it to reduce the glazing liquid until it becomes syrupy (reduce to about 1/3 cup), 5 minutes. Brush the glaze over one side of each rib, and set the ribs on the grill over medium-high heat until the glaze begins to bubble and lightly darken. Brush another surface with the glaze, and turn the ribs. Continue to brush and glaze, turning frequently, until all sides are nicely glazed. Transfer ribs to a warm pan or platter. Drizzle the remaining glaze over the ribs.
6) Cook the noodles in the boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes, until tender, and drain.
7) To serve, divide the noodles between four large shallow soup bowls. Ladle over the braising liquid. Mound some bean sprouts over the top. Remove any remaining strings from ribs, and lay 2 ribs and any juices on top of the noodles in each bowl. Sprinkle with scallions and a few sprigs of cilantro.

Cook’s notes
This recipe is a more concentrated version of the classic Vietnamese soup pho. To turn this recipe into pho, don’t reduce the sauce, and use 6 cups chicken broth and 4 tablespoons fish sauce. Serve 1 or 2 short ribs per serving. As pho, this recipe will serve 6 to 8.

Leftovers
Serve the more concentrated dish one night, then add stock and serve as a soup another day for lunch.

Faces

In celebration of Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s outgoing artistic director, Tony Taccone, 475 Bay Area arts supporters gathered at the Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco for a memorable evening. The festivities honored Taccone’s 22 years with the nonprofit as a visionary leader, and more than $1 million
was raised in support of the theater’s artistic endeavors and programs. Bob the Drag Queen performed “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” and Rita Moreno sang “This Is All I Ask” from Rita Moreno: Life Without Makeup, which Taccone wrote.

The Lafayette Library and Learning Center Foundation (LLLCF) hosted its annual fundraiser, where book lovers had the chance to roam the library after hours with friends and family. Filled with revelry, dancing, and dessert, the event raised $450,000 for the library and much-needed improvements to the Children’s Area deck.

The East Bay SPCA’s benefit celebrated the many donors and members of the community who take part in helping animals. Guests toured the Oakland facility and met animals that are up for adoption, while savoring an array of food, craft beer, and wine. All proceeds from the auctions went toward the SPCA’s services.

Guests dressed up in storybook attire and experienced a magical evening at Children’s Fairyland in Oakland. At the 24th annual gala, attendees appreciated enchanting decor, a delicious dinner, delectable desserts, and various auction items. This year’s sold-out event was the theme park’s most successful bash yet, raising more than $250,000. All proceeds help Children’s Fairyland continue to provide children with a place that fosters imagination, encourages creativity, and prompts a desire to learn.

At this yearly black-tie event benefiting the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, attendees gathered at the Diablo Country Club for a delightful evening and enjoyed a three-course dinner, drinks, dancing, and a live auction. All proceeds went directly to the Food Bank, which has been providing food to one in eight residents in Contra Costa and Solano counties for more than 40 years.

Richmond’s Making Waves Academy welcomed two-time Grammy Award winner LL COOL J to the school to have a discussion with the students. The recording artist spoke about the importance of education, his path to becoming an entertainer, and the impact his upbringing had on his success. At Making Waves, 5th- to 12th-grade students receive a rigorous, holistic education to prepare them for college and beyond.

In honor of its 30th anniversary, the John Muir Land Trust hosted a very special incarnation of its annual gathering. Conservation leaders and thousands of supporters came together at the John Muir National Historic Site in Martinez to celebrate with live music, fine wine, gourmet food, and an auction.

This one-night-only fundraiser at the Fox Theater in Oakland ultimately raised more than $3 million for UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, thanks to its all-star lineup of performers and speakers, which included Ryan Tedder of One Republic and actress Helen Hunt.

The Rotary Club of Lafayette hosted a benefit for the nonprofit New Day for Children. The Alamo-based organization works to aid the recovery of American girls rescued from sex trafficking through a variety of services, including psychological, educational, and other restorative programs. The fundraising event included a cocktail reception, a sit-down dinner, and a live auction.

Fans of the Lindsay Wildlife Experience got wild at the museum and wildlife hospital’s annual soiree. Held at Danville’s Blackhawk Museum, the night saw some of Lindsay’s animal ambassadors join the mix as guests danced to music by The Cheeseballs following a full dinner catered by Scott’s Seafood Walnut Creek and both live and silent auctions. Funds from the event support Lindsay’s goal of connecting people with wildlife by saving animals’ lives and providing up-close animal encounters for visitors.

For the past 18 years, Concord’s Monument Impact has been a force in the city, serving its vulnerable immigrant and refugee communities. Recently, the nonprofit center hosted its Stronger Together gala to celebrate the work that volunteers, local businesses, unions, and others have done to support immigrants in the East Bay. Among those honored for their contributions were volunteer English tutor (and onetime San Francisco Giant) Rob Andrews, former board member Margaret Hanlon-Gradie, and John Muir Health.